It is known to combine radar sensing and vision sensing to detect objects proximate to a vehicle. An integrated radar and camera system is marketed by Delphi Corporation of Troy, Mich. as the Delphi RACam. Integrating the radar and camera into a single unit is generally advantageous for lowering packaging cost. Such a system is useful to enhance a variety of vehicle safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, low speed collision mitigation, and autonomous braking for pedestrians and vehicles. The Delphi RACam uses data fusion algorithms to combine inputs from the radar and camera to improve object detection, and thereby reduce the potential for accidents, injury, and costly property damage.
Typically, a radar sensor is protected by a radome that completely covers the radar sensor so that the radar sensor is concealed and/or protected. It is preferable that the radome is uniform across the radar beam, i.e. it is electromagnetically uniform, so that the radar signal is not distorted by the radome. However, since the Delphi RACam locates the camera and radar sensor closely together, a radome that covers the entire radar sensor may obstruct the view of the camera. Furthermore, the camera may require a glare shield to prevent light reflected by the windshield or other vehicle surfaces from causing glare that compromises the camera image. Such a glare shield may partially obstruct the radar beam or radar signal causing undesirable distortion of the radar signal. As such, packaging constraints and aesthetic preferences may promote a housing configuration that causes distortion of the radar signal. In particular, a housing configuration that partially obstructs the radar beam.